Afrofuturism: The future of African entertainment.

“The exclusion of blackness from the narrative of progress is strange considering that from the earliest roots of modernity, the black imagination has been a key contributor to social ‘futurism’, from the abolitionist and anti-colonialist movements, to providing the very aesthetics that we commonly associate with modernism and rebellion, such as jazz, cubism and rock and roll”.- Florence Okoye.

Afrofuturism is a cultural aesthetic, philosophy of sciences and history that explores the developing intersection of African/ African Diaspora culture with technology. It is the reimagining of an African (black) future filled with arts, sciences and technology. It combines the elements of science fiction, historical fiction, fantasy, Afrocentrism and magic realism with non-western cosmologies in order to critique the modern day dilemmas of black people and to interrogate and examine historical events.

Afrofuturism is significantly different from standard science fiction in that it is steeped in ancient African traditions and black identity. For a narrative to be considered Afrofuturustic, it must be rooted in and unapologetically celebrate the uniqueness and innovation of black culture.

Perhaps, one of the greatest expressions of Afrofuturism is the movie “Black Panther” depicting that white superiority never intruded the Wakandan culture and its people.

Hello, Rain (2018) is another movie promoting Afrofuturism. The short film, directed by
C.J. Obasi features a Scientist-Witch, who through an alchemical combination of juju and technology creates wigs which grant her and her friends supernatural powers. But when their powers grow uncontrollable, she must stop them by any means. It is based on the short story Hello, Moto by Nigerian-American author,
Nnedi Okorafor.

Afronauts (2014) also featured Afrofurist themes. The film, directed by Ghanaian filmmaker
Frances Bodomo , features the Zambia Space Academy that works to beat the United States to the moon as the latter prepares its Apollo 11 launch.

There are numerous other literary works promoting Afrofuturism. Notable Afrofuturists include musicians and theorists like Sun Ra and Janelle Monae, as well as science fiction writers like Octavia Butler and Nnedi Okarafor . Their work combines the tropes of science fiction with non-Western and minority ethnic aesthetics to produce new, more complex visions of the future.